Urgent problem--I need help--please.

[Supernatural Pie]

First off, right here, and right now, I want absolutely no one to post here if it's going to lead to something else, or if it's off topic at all. I do not want this to get locked. And I want to tell every admin right now that I encourage them to delete ANY spam from this thread AT ALL, because this is very important, and I really do need help.

Now with that being said...

I am in need of true help. Every time I start up my computer in OS9, (I have jaguar too, btw, which is what i'm in now) it freezes. I cannot do anything. It starts up, and I pray it gets as far as the desktop. Once it loads the desktop however, i can move about one folder, or maybe do one thing, before it freezes. Boom. Gone. No mouse, no keyboard, no force quit. I cannot do anything. It even freezes when I restart with extensions off. The only way for me to start up OS9, and then switch into Jaguar if I have to is by starting up from a CD (holding the "c" key down while it boots.) I really don't know what to do. I've run tech tool, but it sucks, and rarely tells me anything. It's not the end of the world (except for most apps that suck in classic mode, such as ROGUE SPEAR!) So until this is fixed, I can't play any more rogue spear, or rogue spear demo, or any of those good things. I need help. What can I do?

Remember, only post here if you have something that may help me. If you do have an idea, I'm all ears.

[(SiX)Ben]

Keep I mind I do not have OS10, so I know nothing about it, or it's later versions problems..

Anyway, maybe you should try and startup by the 9 cd, then reinstall 9..

P.S. Ask Flame. I believe he was having similar problems (which he fixed by reinstalling 9)

Ben

[*DAMN Hazard]

I had a problem kind of like that and I solved it by using the 6 software restore disks I had.... although you will lose anything you have installed on your computer and all your files.

[Supernatural Pie]

Heh...no thanks. Anyone else?

[*DAMN Mauti]

Start OS9 from CD delete your systemfolder and drag a new version on it. Before you do so you should duplicate the preference folder and the system extensions. After reinstalling try it again with the plain install when this works  drop your duplicated prefs and extension in it again.

Bye,

Mauti - Also I suggest to run Norton Disk Doctor there is tool to clean up the files without deleting them. Often your files are so messed that the mac can't find all necessary OS9 parts(happened twice to me the result was it couldnt boot). May you should try this first before you reinstall OS9.

[Mr. Lothario]

     First, zap your PRAM. Start up holding down Command-Option-P-R (which will cause your computer to restart very early in the boot process) and keep holding them until the computer has rebooted at least three times. Corrupted PRAM is the cause of a lot of really weird shit.
     Following that, try (I say try because I realize the freezing problem may make it impossible) rebuilding your desktop. Begin holding down Command-Option before the desktop appears. A corrupted desktop database is the cause of a lot of really weird shit too.

     If those don't work, do a clean reinstall of your system. Boot from the install CD, and select "clean install". That renames your existing System Folder (to "Previous System Folder") and installs a completely fresh one. That way, you can copy over your third-party extensions and control panels, and any preference files that it would be a big hassle to recreate. Don't just do a regular install, since System Folder problems can persist if you do that. I would recommend doing a clean install even if zapping your PRAM and/or rebuilding does fix your problem. With a big problem like that, you can never be too careful.

[Ace]

A couple questions first:

1) Is your disk partitioned. If so, are OS 9 and OS X on separate partitions?
2) What version of OS 9 are you running?
3) How long has this been going on for? Did you install any new applications or OS updates around the time the problem started occuring?

Without knowing those answers, if you have X and 9 on separate partitions and you don't have too much important stuff on 9, it's probably worth it to back up your stuff and reinstall OS 9.

[Supernatural Pie]

Here's the thing, I just got a 40 gb hd. Now that I had enough space, I got Jaguar. My disks are not partitioned, however. I backed up all my stuff onto my 40 gb hd before installing jag, so it's all there in case anthing goes to shits. The problem just started last night when I accidently tried to print something in appleworks without plugging the usb cord in. It gave me an error message, and then it started doing this. I also recently installed SW GB demo, but I don't know if that has anything to do with the problem, it's just my most recent download.

[Mr. Lothario]

     Reinstalling OS 9 doesn't require one to format one's disk. Just do a clean install and it's almost as good as reinstalling after formatting, but with the added advantage of not having to format.

[Ace]

Good point Loth, but I think it may be a smart idea (especially if he still uses 9 extensively) to take this chance to backup, partition, and put 9 and X on separate partitions. That said, first things first do a clean install of 9 like Loth said and see if that solves the problem.

[Mr. Lothario]

     ::nod:: I agree, Ace. I used to have 9 and X on the same partition and there were some minor annoyances about it. Nothing major ever happened to me that I can pin on that setup, but I've heard repeatedly that it's best to have 9 and X on different partitions. FYI: 9 requires less than a gig to install. I put it on a 2 gig partition, just to be on the safe side. Jaguar requires 4 gigs easy if you install the extra language support, etc. I did not, and my Jaguar partition still has 2.3 gigs occupied. I'd recommend a four gig partition for X (sans language support) if you can spare it, but you'll need at least a 3 gig partiton.

     Doing the full backup-and-format routine sucks mah nuts, but it is a really good idea to do it once every year or so. Consider it, at any rate.

[Supernatural Pie]

s00000000000t!

All fixed! Though it was very difficult.

What really threw me off was when I started up with extensions off, it froze before it even got to the desktop, but while I was at school today, my dad was trying to figure out what was happening, and he had no problem booting with extensions off. So anyway, I opened extensions and turned them all off, then turned on a group at a time, restarting, over and over, with multiple extensions. Finally, I got to the end, all the extensions were on, and it was starting up. Then my dad told me that Norton found a problem with airport (he forgot to tell me this) and so he had taken the airport extension out. I reinstalled the airport update, and here I am, in os9, with my extensions, and control panels, and internet access, and my bewubbed jaguar, all working. Thanks to everyone who contributed all their ideas, and I'll be on gameranger whenever I finish my homework!  

[Brain]

ahhh yes, the old process of elimination method for finding extension problems.
that was the prime reason i got conflict catcher